I'm currently eight days into a 30 day, no social media challenge. Yes, that even means no business accounts! 

How many times have you heard, YOU MUST be on social media if you own a business?

Dynamic personalities like Gary Vaynerchuk tell us this, and many others, but is this really the case?

Others, like Cal Newport, suggest that these things are robbing us of the ability to focus and get work done...think about it? When was the last time you were ever bored?

In this episode, I discuss the 30 day challenge, 30 days of nature, focusing on email marketing, and the idea of deep work that results from removing distractions in our life.

The cannabis industry is kind of like the Wild Wild West, and Facebook and Google are the long arm of the law...they have put you in jail and won't let you get your message out. We have to stop focusing on the things we can't control, and focus on what we can! Today I share five tips on how to succeed in the cannabis/CBD industry. The title of this show is a paraphrased quote from Gary Vaynerchuk during a cannabis conference speaking engagement.

Katie Visco is a bundle of contagious energy. She's on a mission to inspire people to do big things, to take care of themselves, and to be courageous. In this interview, we talk about courage, self love, human powered adventure, and Katie's upcoming transcontinental run across Australia.  For show notes, visit: www.hempdaddys.com and check out the blog section of the website.

This is a must listen to episode for anybody just getting stated in the cannabis space. Rick Martinez is the founder of Green Seed Cannabis Co. A business accelerator for cannabis startups. Whether you are selling CBD, raw cannabis, running a dispensary, or working the "pick and axes" approach to the industry, definitely give this episode a listen. We discuss benefits of being involved in the program as well as the state of the cannabis/CBD industry.

Traditional ad networks such as Facebook and Google are closed to CBD products, so how do CBD companies advertise and drive sales? In this episode I talk about four tools I use to grow sales in my online CBD business, Hemp Daddy's Therapeutics. Whether you are selling hemp flower, vapes, or CBD oils, this episode is sure to help.

These tools will also help you if you own any other traditional online business. They are especially helpful to CBD and hemp based businesses though due to limited options with advertising.

Today I talk about the state of the hemp CBD industry. Things are still looking pretty gray and uncertain. I discuss: Two states that have recently legalized industrial hemp, Banking & Merchant Processing, and whether or not the little guys can survive in this growing industry.

In his recent book, Deep Work, Cal Newport talks about the importance of deep work, and cutting out distractions so we can really focus on our craft and produce the best work possible. His book was extremely eye opening. This is a min-episode I'm calling, Trail Talk, because I just finished my weekly long trail run. Great ideas often come when we are out in nature, free of distraction. So, check out this podcast and find out how constant distractions prohibit us from doing "deep work."

In this episode, I talk about how to grow a successful business online. I reference CBD a lot, but really these principals apply to any online business. I talk about: niching down, customer service, consumer education, SEO, creative marketing ideas since CBD is banned from Facebook and Google, email marketing, and the number one driver in succeeding online.

In this episode I interview Hemp Daddy's brand ambassador Robbie Balenger. Robbie is a plant based endurance athlete that has run many ultra marathons. Robbie is about to embark on a transcontinental run from LA to New York. We focus on how Robbie got into running, his diet, and the logistics of a transcontinental run. You may find it interesting Robbie has only been running for six years and has done many ultra marathons. 

In this episode I discuss what I believe are the five biggest issues in the hemp CBD industry. I talk about the lack of integrity in the industry as well - which creates two of the biggest issues that we discuss.

Topics discussed: CBD and drug testing, Lab testing, quality of hemp, the FDA, and potential supply issues.